So, two weekends ago was the coronation of the new king and queen of Atlantia. You who go to authorize in the next six months, the answer you’re looking for is “Esa”.
It started with Geoffrey ap Clwydd’s white scarf prize (2 hours of holding the field) and then the provosts holding the field. That was all spiff and excellent.
Elphin pointed out something I’d never noticed: when fencing case, I don’t cross my swords over (right sword never deals with threats on left side of body and vice versa), which I think contributes to the open center pocket that Marcellus pointed out at DtG ’08.
At the end of it, I got to test out the accusation I made here re: the primacy of case over dagger with Dante. While we were fighting one-on-one, and not in a melee, it was still a good test. I think I’ve figured out what, exactly, the disagreeement is. He views the off-hand sword as a poor substitute for a dagger (at least, in my preferred fighting stance and mixed-case). I view it as a superior substitute for a dagger (having the same leverage as a dagger and, by dint of greater range, better ability to close lines which makes up for its slightly slower speed. Put a big ass pommel on the back end of a thirty and that sucker is barely a hair slower than a dagger).
All of this discussion has led to a realization: We have “Sword and Buckler” “Sword and Cloak” and “Sword and Dagger” classes, but I don’t think in my time in the SCA I’ve seen a “Case” class. I think I want to teach one, possibly with Alric (who represents the other, centerline-open style of fighting case).
All of this joy was followed by Master Aedan running melee practice, because he is the new rapier warlord, and because Atlantia needed it. It always does. How else will we be better than Atlantia?
We started with a series of 5 on 5s, then 10 on 10s (well, one 9 on 11).
The great big take home lesson was don’t surrender initiative. For the most part, the team that pushed won, the team that was pushed lost. Definitely something to work on there.
At one point, Aedan mentioned that he hadn’t seen any commanding from the rear or reserve being held. I had a brief moment of pride (okay, not so brief) when somebody pointed out that I’d been doing exactly that when I had a two man advantage (I commanded from the rear, and held Miguel as a gap-filler). With only 10 people on a side, it’s hard to withhold a reserve, especially when facing the Dragoons (who were about half of the 9 opposite me). When you get to 20 on a side or more, a reserve starts to be reasonable. But when I realized I had a two man advantage, well, why not? I think I annoyed Dominyk, though, because he thought we had a four man advantage (and because I kind of whacked him with my sword when he rolled out of a DFB. Twice).
I realized I’m not 100% comfortable with resource management, and that I’m sitting on the fence as to whether or not I should try to position my units to my strategy, or play chess with them against the opposition.
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